04/03/12

Release of the 1940 US Census!

April 2 was a banner day for genealogists as the 1940 US census was finally released by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). What makes this update so exciting is that the records are available online for free!

People at home can access it through the U.S. National Archives site at:
http://1940census.archives.gov/

This site has a step-by-step guide to get started but researchers should note that the census is NOT indexed meaning that researchers can only search by location right now. Like any new product launch, people should be aware that access will be slow for the first few days, since many people will be using this invaluable resource.

06/29/11

Regina Tornado anniversary

Coming up on June 30 is the 99th anniversary of the 1912 Regina Tornado.

Along Lorne Street, between Victoria Avenue and 12th Avenue.
Text below the photo: View showing west side of Victoria Park; buildings reading from left to right are Metropolitan Methodist Church (now Knox Metropolitan Church), Y.W.C.A., Methodist Parsonage; Carnegie Library. Donahue Block at extreme right - Photo by Rossie

06/28/10

Regina Tornado 98th anniversary June 30

Coming up on June 30 is the 98th anniversary of the 1912 Regina Tornado.

Along Lorne Street, between Victoria Avenue and 12th Avenue.
Text below the photo: View showing west side of Victoria Park; buildings reading from left to right are Metropolitan Methodist Church (now Knox Metropolitan Church), Y.W.C.A., Methodist Parsonage; Carnegie Library. Donahue Block at extreme right - Photo by Rossie

06/11/10

In the Footsteps of Louis Riel

Monday, June 21, 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm, Downtown Regina

In honour of Aboriginal Day, Regina Public Library in partnership with the Regina Plains Museum and the Saskatchewan Writer's Guild, presents a walking tour of downtown sites connected with Riel's life, followed by a reading of his poetry by Jesse Archibald-Barber and other readers.

04/10/10

2nd Annual Jane's Walk in Regina

On May 1st and 2nd, hundreds of Reginans will take to the streets for the 2nd annual Jane’s Walk, a series over 15 free neighbourhood walking tours that explore our collective history, architecture, planning and personalities. Last year’s walk saw more than 400 residents explore 12 walks across the city.

Celebrating the legacy of Jane Jacobs, the foremost urban thinker of our times, Jane’s Walk inspires citizens to get to know their city and each other by getting out and walking. Last year 46 cities took part across North America, offering 315 tours to over 10,000 walkers. This year Jane’s Walks will span 65 cities worldwide (35 in Canada, 25 in the USA) with an estimated 450 walking tours on offer. Along with Regina, partnerships this year include Los Angeles, Brooklyn, Chattanooga, Saskatoon, Victoria, and Jane’s Walk is also expanding internationally with walks scheduled in Mumbai, Goa, Dublin and Madrid.

02/20/10

RCMP Heritage Centre Speakers' Series

You are invited to attend a special lecture by University of Regina professor Bill Brennan as he takes on the topic of the 1935 On-to-Ottawa Trek and the Regina Riots.

Dr. Brennan offers a fresh approach on the subjects, covering the perspective of the city and offering an assessment of the legacy of these events for the city of Regina. He will also discuss the now-declassified RCMP file of the On-to-Ottawa Trek and Regina Riots and the actions of the police force during this period.

Admission is free, although donations to the non-profit RCMP Heritage Centre are greatly appreciated.

09/09/09

William Argan 1921 - 2009

We were saddened to hear the news of the passing of Bill Argan, a long-time friend of the Prairie History Room. (read his obituary at saskobits.com)

Bill was a gifted artist and tireless researcher. His many projects included finding information and images for his Regina history books. We were always glad to see him, to visit a bit and to find out what he was working on.

08/16/09

Help Us Identify Event in Photo

From time to time, even the Prairie History staff is stumped by a research request. Recently, we received a letter from a woman in Calgary asking for more information about the event depicted in this photograph taken at the Regina Airport. Supposedly, this event ties in somehow with the Regina Airport and the Trans-Canada Airlines (pre-cursor to Air Canada).

Note: click on image for a slightly larger view!

* * * * * * * * *
Here's what we've found out from newspaper articles and the pamphlet Regina Airport: A History in the PHR vertical files Regina - Airports:

The building in the background (the administration building) was new in 1940.
Trans-Canada Airlines (printed above the airplane door in the photo) was formed in 1937)

Conclusion: the photo was taken in 1940 or later.

Apparently Trans-Canada Airlines stopped running planes into the Regina Airport in 1948 (length of runway was a problem) and didn’t resume until about 1960.

This blog will inform you about the new items added to our collection; recommend some of the best online genealogy resources for you to use; and notify you of any upcoming genealogy and heritage-related workshops and events in the Regina community or around province. So remember to bookmark this page or subscribe to one of the RSS feeds so can you always remain up-to-date. And don't forget, we love to hear what you think so don't be shy about leaving your comments!